Northwestern begins presidential search process

The Rev. Jon Opgenorth, senior pastor of Trinity Reformed Church in OrangeCity and member of the Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee, has been appointed chairman of the Presidential Search Committee. Joining him are fellow Executive Committee members Deb Locker, OrangeCity; Drew Vogel, OrangeCity, board chairman; and the Rev. Roger Voskuil, pastor of First Reformed Church, SiouxCenter.

“We have assembled a very strong committee representing various constituencies of Northwestern,” says Opgenorth. “I have sensed among them a willingness to work hard together as we begin the noble task of finding the next president of NorthwesternCollege.”

The search committee will be working with People Management Inc., a firm that has been involved in more than 250 executive searches in the fields of higher education, ministry and business. People Management has assisted in searches for many schools that, like Northwestern, are members of the Council for ChristianColleges & Universities.

Two of the firm’s managing directors, Robert Stevenson and Dr. Tommy Thomas, will be working most directly with Northwestern’s search committee. Stevenson is a nationally known management consultant in senior management selection, organizational design and theory, executive coaching, succession planning, and workplace change and innovation. Thomas, who has over 16 years of experience in executive search and management consulting, has led searches for clients such as the NAIA, World Vision, AzusaPacificUniversity and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Stevenson met with Northwestern’s Executive Committee and Presidential Search Committee on Nov. 21 to work out a timeline for the search process. One of the first steps will be for representatives of People Management to come to campus and interview faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members in order to develop a profile for the position. Once the profile is complete, advertising will begin.